Iowa Representative Greg Heartsill says House Republicans want Democrats to take action on Governor Branstad’s education proposals before they move on allowable growth. The Senate passed four percent growth last week on a party line vote. Heartsill tells KNIA/KRLS that Republicans do know and agree that there will be some amount of allowable growth, but they want to address the policy ahead of the funding. He explains there is some thought that if allowable growth is passed, Senate Democrats may not feel it necessary to address the Governor’s reform plans. Knoxville Superintendent Dr. Randy Flack told KNIA/KRLS earlier this year that allowable growth was the lifeblood of school finance. Dr. Flack added that they provide the only mechanism to cover increased costs for utilities, benefits, salaries, texts, and other learning materials and called the increases over the past three years “grossly inadequate.”